Page Title

A Severe Begomovirus-Satellite DNA Disease Complex in Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley Okra Fields and Its Potential Threat to Cotton Production

Whitefly-transmitted viruses in the genus Begomovirus (family Geminiviridae) have been shown to severely affect the production and quality of cotton globally. Among these viruses, those involved in the cotton leaf curl disease complex are considered the most damaging. Consequently, there is concern regarding the unexpected detection of the exotic cotton leaf curl Gezira virus (CLCuGV) and its associated satellite DNA molecules in okra fields in the lower Rio Grande Valley area in Texas since fall 2018. This presentation summarizes the results of efforts that led to the first detection of CLCuGV in the United States and ongoing efforts to survey for the virus in cotton, other potential plant hosts, and whiteflies.